...random jottings on what may be happening in my life at any particular time, not necessarily anything earth shattering, just ordinary every day stuff; and photographs, mainly taken by me, my GKB and other family members as we travel through this journey called life...

Monday, 25 April 2016

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Five totally unconnected paragraphs but I hope you'll enjoy them.Joining Amy at Five on Friday1). Daylight saving finished at the weekend and with it the good weather. Almost overnight. I can't believe it. Even so the temps are still in double figures but 24 C. one day and then talk of snow the next - not my idea of fun. But I am not going to complain as we have been having unseasonably warm weather for this time of the year. It couldn't go on for ever :) It has been a very dry summer and not good for the gardens, even the weeds didn't grow much - but my little mother's sunflowers alongside her garage did. I love this photo of her looking at them looking back at her. It almost looks like they're having a conversation.

2). We've been taking ourselves out for coffee about once a week, my GKB and me. We are not very adventurous when it comes to what we eat and it is usually a case of cheese rolls or scones. I decided to try hot pancakes and maple syrup a few weeks ago, I have wanted to for a while, but I was very disappointed. I won't be ordering them again. These date scones below were very nice though, heated and butter spread on them. I always drink tea or hot chocolate (in winter) and my GKB has discovered that he quite enjoys a flat white, even though they are never hot enough. It was still warm enough to sit outside when this was taken.

3). Just over a year ago we were at a family funeral and someone mentioned that it was a shame that we only got together these days at funerals. There are five sets of cousins and some of us haven't seen each other for over forty years. And so because I was retired and on the spot I was elected(?) to organise a reunion of some sort. So this year I am starting to get into it. We have decided to have a dinner in the town where our grandparents and parents lived and where most of us grew up as well. Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand. It will all take place at Easter 2017 and we are having it in a hotel just around the corner from where I grew up and not far from where some of our cousins lived as well. So far quite a few have shown interest (from Japan, Indonesia and Australia) which is good, as it's a bit daunting in a way to be given the task of bringing it together.

Greymouth CBD

4). My GKB enjoys taking photos and quite often the ones I put up here are his. I love the one below that he took one day while sis and I were walking and he was wandering and waiting. It is very moody I think and the clouds look like the beginning of the Taieri Pet, a cloud formation that appears over the Middlemarch area when certain conditions occur. We never saw the 'Pet' though as it didn't form fully. Anyway I like the starkness of the tree against the cloud and sky.

5). I've been feeling a bit tired lately, I think it's the start of year activity beginning to catch up with me. We have been really busy since Christmas with visits from two of my sisters and two of my nieces and their little ones. We have walked quite a bit on the rail trail and there have been one or two other functions happening as well. And I have thoroughly enjoyed it all. But...I think I need a bit of a rest because my brain doesn't seem to be functioning as it should. Blow it. So if I don't post quite so often in the next little while you'll know why.

Maybe I'll just be away a few days or a week or two but I will check in occasionally to see what everyone is up to. Life is very busy at the moment :)

Tuesday, 5 April 2016

It's time to check in for the book challenge - and I am pleased to say I have managed to finish the book I started 20 years ago! How about that? I can't tell you I enjoyed it because I didn't. I found the main character quite obnoxious and kept thinking to myself that in real life in this day and age he would have been heavily medicated to control him or locked up. I found the parts of the book most readable when the main character wasn't part of the narration and struggled when he was. Well, what was it I hear you asking?

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

It was first published in serial form in 1866 and later published in one volume. I read it at the same time as another much lighter one and that enabled me to finish it, phew. And the reason for reading it was that it was part of a set and I'd already read the others.

an illustration from Crime and Punishment

Finishing this third booksgets me quarter of the way up the mountain, Pikes Peak, and on target to finish in December as planned. I have decided to read one challenge book a month along with my other reading.One of the things we've been asked to do, if we want to, is Title Scrabble, making a word out of the book titles. I thought I'd have a go as I only have three titles so how hard can it be? I hope that doesn't prove to be a case of famous last words in the future, haha.

My word is COD.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen).

30 Days to Understanding Church History by

Max E. Landers and Judith A. Lunsford.

It may not always be that easy, especially if I get more vowels than I know what to do with. Anyway, if you'd be interested in seeing what others are reading you can go here and check them out.

Weka

Tui on blossom

Fear not

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About Me

I'm in my sixties, retired and married to a good kiwi bloke who likes darts and fishing and the occasional cold beer. We have a grown family and several grandchildren scattered around the place. And a large ginger cat. Life is good. God is very good.